Martine McCutcheon has thanked fans for their support after she was declared bankrupt.

The former EastEnders star and Love Actually actress petitioned for bankruptcy at Kingston-Upon-Thames County Court.

And on Tuesday night, the 36-year-old actress, who is believed to have earned up to £250,000 a year at the height of her popularity, wrote on Twitter that she was 'truly touched' by her fans' kind thoughts.

She tweeted: 'I can't begin to express my love and gratitude for such kind and encouraging messages. I'm truly so touched. I love you guys. Thank you.'

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Not her Perfect Moment: Martine McCutcheon petitioned for bankruptcy last month, it was revealed on Tuesday

Touched: Martine wrote on Twitter on Tuesday night that she had been touched by the kind thoughts of her fans

It was revealed on Tuesday that
despite earning a fortune from her various roles, McCutcheon now has debts
of £187,000 - comprising a £149,000 tax debt to HM Revenue & Customs and a further £30,000 to Lloyds bank.

Wedded bliss: Martine married Jack McManus last September in Italy

Bankruptcy trustees KPMG's David Standish, who was appointed joint trustee in bankruptcy of
McCutcheon by the Secretary of State on January 24, said: 'Ms McCutcheon
petitioned for her own bankruptcy at Kingston-Upon-Thames County Court.

'We
are now responsible for administering her estate and are in the process
of establishing the individual's assets and liabilities, the largest
creditor being Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs.'

McCutcheon, who first shot to fame as Tiffany in EastEnders at the age of 18, made the petition for bankruptcy in her
given name, Martine Kimberley Sherrie Ponting.

The star’s discharge from bankruptcy is set for January next year.

The news comes just months after she married musician Jack McManus, 29,
in a lavish wedding ceremony on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como.

The actress was born in Hackney and raised by her single mother, who had
three jobs just to make ends meet.

Miss McCutcheon was earning £1.50 an
hour selling lingerie in Knicker Box when she was offered the role of
Tiffany in the BBC1 soap.

But as her fame grew, so, it appears, did her taste for expensive
designer products.

In an interview she said: ‘I love nice things – I
consider Ralph Lauren sheets to be a necessity, not a luxury – but I’ve
known what it’s like to be poor.

‘I always take care of my stuff. I adore Julien Macdonald, Valentino, Chanel and Balenciaga. But even if I only
spend a small amount, I’m so nouveau riche that as long as something is
beautifully wrapped, I get a huge thrill.'

Back in the day: Martine as Tiffany in EastEnders with Ross Kemp as Grant Mitchell

Martine McCutcheon was at the peak of her career when she appeared in Love actually with Hugh Grant

She added: ‘I’m a Taurean, so I’m very passionate and determined and
materialistic.Down the years I’ve spent a lot of money and saved a bit
of money and had a lot of fun.

'And yes, if it all ended tomorrow and I could never afford another
Gucci bag, then I think it’s safe to say that I’ve got enough to be
going on with.'

In 2003 it was reported that Miss McCutcheon was worth £1.5million and
lived in a two-bedroom apartment in Kensington, West London, valued at
£850,000.

Miss McCutcheon left EastEnders in 1998, after four years on the soap. More than 22million viewers watched her final episode.

But despite several promising breaks, she never quite matched the
success she enjoyed in the soap.

Jack of all trades: Martine had a number one single with Perfect Moment, and achieved success as Eliza Doolittle in the stage version of My Fair Lady in 2001

Writing talent: Martine also released her debut novel The Mistress in 2009

Her debut single, Perfect Moment,
topped the charts in five countries, and she made a platinum-selling
album. But her third album bombed and she parted ways with the record
company.

Although she won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance as Eliza
Doolittle in My Fair Lady in 2002, she missed many performances due to
poor health and withdrew nearly five months early.

A year later she secured her first major film role as Hugh Grant’s tea
lady in Love Actually. She had hoped to use her performance as a
springboard to launch a Hollywood career, declaring she was going to be
‘Britain’s answer to Jennifer Lopez’, but it failed to materialise.

In January 2010, she became the face of Danone’s UK advertising campaign for its Activia yogurt brand.

But last year she was dumped and replaced by fashion presenter and designer Gok Wan.

WHAT DOES BANKRUPTCY MEAN?

Bankruptcy means that your assets are sold and the money is used to pay your creditors as much as possible.

If you are made bankrupt you will not be able to:

Use your bank or building society account or credit card [You get a basic bank account instead]

Obtain credit for over £500

Trade in any business under any other name

Promote, form or manage a limited company

Be the trustee of a charity or pension fund

If things get too much...

Then
you should speak to someone immediately. If you feel that you can't
repay your loan or keep up with your credit card payments then contact
your credit-provider, they will be able to set up a repayment structure
for you.

If it is more
serious, like you can't afford your rent or mortgage payments or have an
unpaid tax-bill, then there are resources that provide free independent
advice.